According to Blues Who's Who Ida Cox (her maiden name was Prater) was born in Tocca,Stephens County, Georgia on 25 February 1896. Her formative years were spent at Cedartown (in the same state), where she regulary sang for the local African-Methodist Church Choir. However as a teenager she ran away from home in 1910 and joined a touring minstrel show and choose to lead this itinerent life for many years. Ida worked her way into vaudeville sometimes singing with Jazz greats such as Jelly Roll Morton and King Oliver at the Plantation Cafe in Chicago.In 1923 she signed a recording contract for Paramount Records and she was billed as the "Uncrowned Queen of the Blues". During the year she made 20 sides, 14 sides of which were released before the end of the year. In 1924 she recorded 14 sides but in the following year she recorded 22 sides. During the twenties she recorded under a variety ofpseudonyms such as Kate Lewis, Velma Bradley, Julia Powers and Jane Smith. Cox wrote many of her own songs and had several of her own touring companies including Raisin' Cain and Darktown Scandals, of which she travelled extensively with. Even though the depression was upon America, Ida continued to record and perform, often with her husband Blues pianist Jesse Crump.In 1934 Ida performed with Bessie Smith in the musical revue Fan Waves at the Apollo Theatre. She spent the rest of the decade on the road until finally getting a regular slot at the Cafe Society night club in New York City in 1939.Her recording career was briefly revitalised after appearing in John Hammond's Spirituals to Swing concert at Carnegie Hall, releasing records under Ida Cox and Her Allstar Band and Ida Cox and Her Allstar Orchestra.During the mid-forties she had a stroke whilst playing live and went into semi-retirement moving to Knoxville, Tennessee with her daughter. At some point in the fifties she began performing again and in 1961 she recorded her last album "Blues for Rampart Street" accompanied by the Coleman Hawkins Quintet.Ida Cox died of cancer in 1967.

Thanks to John H. Cowley's booklet notes and to Red Hot Jazz website.

Lyrics to "You Stole My Man"

Old pal old pal, you stole my man away (2x)But that's all right, I'll get him back some day

You stole my man, between midnight and day (2x)Yes I bet you old pal, I still will make you pay

Why should you have, a daddy of your own (2x)Old pal old pal, you better let my man alone

Now you says, true friends should understandOld pal you said, true friends should understandBut that's no sign we should take each other's man